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The Defense Health Agency is making a concerted effort to identify health system innovations from a particular group of the workforce: our frontline staff.
With the launch of the Innovation Fellowship Program, DHA is empowering civilian and uniformed employees at military hospitals and clinics to solve real-world problems they face every day—by offering time, funding, and a network of mentors to help bring their ideas to life.
This program flips the script on other top-down initiatives that may miss critical on-the-ground context. “Far too often, enterprise innovations overlook the lived experience of frontline staff,” said Dr. Rebecca Rough, chief innovation officer of DHA. “This program recognizes true innovations start with those closest to the problem.”
Turning ideas into action
Prospective fellows are invited to submit “pitches” to target specific issues in their daily work. Selected fellows receive financial support to explore and test solutions and are granted twelve months with up to 25% of their work time protected to focus on their projects. Financial backing includes up to $10,000 for training and concept changes, and as much as $150,000 to develop and test prototypes.
But support doesn’t stop at funding. Fellows work with subject matter experts and mentors from across the DHA enterprise to help refine, implement, and potentially scale their ideas.
More than innovation—a culture shift
The Innovation Fellowship Program is designed to improve patient care and streamline operations. More importantly, it fosters a culture where everyday problem-solvers are inspired to lead change.
“DHA leaders are investing in frontline staff and the future of military health care. This program is designed to improve the system and enable to make a tangible difference,” said Dr. Pauline Swiger, the fellowship’s program director.
By providing structure, resources, and a pathway to innovate, DHA hopes to unlock creative potential at all levels of the organization—and demonstrate good ideas don’t need to come from the top to make a big impact.
“This program is just as much about inspiring and engaging the innovators out there on the ground as it is about the innovation itself” said U.S. Army Major Taylor Neuman, acting chief workforce well-being and engagement officer of DHA.
For more information, email dha.ncr.dep-dir-ofc.mbx.medwerx@health.mil.
| Date Taken: | 07.21.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.21.2025 13:08 |
| Story ID: | 543369 |
| Location: | VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 58 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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